Audition

Schedule Your Audition

As you complete the application for admission, you will be asked to request your audition date. All music majors and minors must audition.

The application and audition fee must be postmarked by November 1 to audition in November and by January 10 to audition in February.

2017-2018 On-Campus Audition Dates

Auditions are filled on a first-come basis after the receipt of the application and audition fee. Audition spots may fill well in advance of the application deadline.

Decision letters regarding your status for admission with BW and the Conservatory are sent by December 15 or March 20, depending on when BW receives your application materials and when you complete your audition.

Instrumental & Classical Voice Auditions

Music education, music therapy, music composition, instrumental performance, voice performance, keyboard performance, music theory, music history & literature, Bachelor of Arts in music

The Audition

Bachelor of Music candidates are expected to prepare three varied works from the standard repertoire. Selections should demonstrate your musicianship and technical proficiency, be performed within your capabilities and be thoroughly prepared and convincingly performed. Aural pitch matching, sightreading and playing of scales may be requested. Bachelor of Arts Music majors will be asked to perform two solo pieces rather than three.

On-campus auditions are encouraged and are held at regular intervals in the Conservatory. Instrumentalists including piano and organ may submit a recorded audition to the Conservatory of Music by selecting the Recorded Audition option on the application. An email will be sent with further recorded submission instructions after the application has been received by the Conservatory Admission office. The recorded audition will be reviewed after the application, uploaded audition, and supporting materials has been received.

An accompanist will be provided for all voice auditions.

Instrumentalists are not expected to have an accompanist but may bring their own if desired.

A brief music theory placement is given to all auditioning students.

An evaluation of piano skills will assess placement for secondary piano class or private lessons (piano or organ primaries are exempt). A short piece representative of the level of piano proficiency should be prepared; this piece does not need to be memorized.

All music majors with piano or organ as the primary applied instrument may choose to prepare an audition of one solo piece on an orchestral instrument or voice. This audition will be considered for the student’s secondary instrument and/or large ensemble requirement for the desired degree program.

Prospective music education, music theory, music history and literature, composition and music therapy majors will have a brief interview with one or more members of the faculty to assess the applicant’s suitability for the desired major. Students who submit a recorded audition are responsible for contacting the Conservatory admission office to arrange the required interview.

Prospective Bachelor of Music in composition majors must submit two to four original compositions for review. Recordings are strongly recommended (live or midi versions). The preferred option for submission is through our composition submission system. Scores should be uploaded as PDF files and recordings should be uploaded as mp3 files. The second option is to mail hard copies of your scores along with two copies of a CD of your recordings to the Conservatory admission office. Materials will not be returned.

Candidates for the music theory major or music history and literature major should describe their interest in pursuing a theory or history major in the music essay. In addition, candidates should submit a writing sample that demonstrates research ability.

Suggested Repertoire

The compositions listed below are considered suitable for audition. These suggestions are an indication of the degree of achievement expected.

Pianists and vocalists are required to memorize all selections. Memorization is not required for organ, string, wind, brass or percussion auditions.

Violin: Three contrasting movements should be selected that demonstrate the applicant’s range of capabilities, both technical and stylistic. These three works should include one movement of a standard concerto, one movement of an unaccompanied work (such as a Bach solo sonata or partita) and one work of the applicant’s choice. Works by at least two different composers should be represented on the audition. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Julian Ross (jross@bw.edu) if there are any questions about these repertoire requirements.

Viola: Three contrasting movements which demonstrate a student’s range of capabilities. These movements should include a movement of a concerto, a movement of an unaccompanied Bach Suite (originally for cello) and a movement of the student’s choice. Works from at least two different composers should be represented on the audition. In addition, applicants should be prepared to play a major and minor 3-octave scale of the applicant’s choice, slurred and spiccato. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Lembi Veskimets (kveskime@bw.edu) if there are any questions about these repertoire requirements.

Cello: Any three contrasting movements which demonstrate the student’s range of capabilities, both technical and stylistic. The applicant may choose movements from any repertoire including sonatas, concertos, Bach Suites or etudes. If the applicant wishes, it is acceptable to pick two movements from the same work, though at least two composers must be represented. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Regina Mushabac (rmushaba@bw.edu or 440-826-2099) if there are questions about these repertoire requirements.

Double Bass: Three contrasting movements which demonstrate a student’s range of capabilities. These movements should include a movement of a concerto, a movement of a sonata, and a concert étude. Examples include works by Bach, Bottesini, Dittersdorf, Eccles, Koussevitsky, Marcello, Scarlatti and Vivaldi. In addition, applicants should prepared to play a 3-octave major and minor scale and arpeggio, slurred and detaché. You are encouraged to consult with Charles Carleton, ccarleto@bw.edu, if you have any questions about the repertoire requirements.

Harp: Two solos of contrasting period/style of the applicant's choice, and two excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire.

Guitar: Execution of two scales from “The Segovia Scales,” as well as a three-octave chromatic scale. (Other scales are permitted, with a minimum two-octave range). Performance of any etude or concert piece by Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani, or other composers of the Classical era. Performance of any work or complete movement of the Renaissance or Baroque era. Performance of any work or complete movement composed in the 20th or 21st century. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Colin Davin (cdavin@bw.edu) if there are any questions about these repertoire requirements.

Flute: One movement of a classical concerto or baroque sonata, i.e, Mozart Concerto in D major or G major or Bach Sonatas in E major or e minor. One piece from music by French composers (Schirmer) or equivalent. One piece of choice, in a contrasting style. All major, harmonic, and melodic minor scales; minimum two-octave range. Applicants are encouraged to consult with George Pope (gpope@bw.edu) and Sean Gabriel (sgabriel@bw.edu) if they have questions.

Oboe: Any movement(s) from sonatas by Handel, Telemann, Saint-Saëns, Hindemith or Poulenc, or from concertos by Mozart, Marcello or Strauss; contrasting etudes by Barrett or Ferling; all major and minor scales.

Clarinet: At least two selections in contrasting styles. Sonatas by Hindemith, Saint-Saëns, Brahms and Bernstein. Concertos by Mozart, Weber and Debussy. Etudes by Rose and Cavallini.

Saxophone: Two contrasting etudes by Ferling, Voxman, or Mule. One major work, to be performed in its entirety, by Glazunov, Creston, Ibert, Desenclos, Dubois or others. Scales: Major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales in all keys (full range). Feel free to contact Professor Banks (sbanks@bw.edu) to inquire about repertoire choices that you may be unsure about. Please come prepared to discuss in detail your current musical activities and goals for the future.

Trumpet: A sonata by Hindemith, Kennan or Halsey Stevens; a concerto by Haydn, Hummel or Neruda; two contrasting etudes by Arban, Brandt or Charlier. Standard excerpts from the orchestral repertoire. Scales and sight-reading may be required.

Trombone: Etudes from materials such as Kopprasch, Blazhevich and Rochut. Solos such as David, Hindemith, Guilmant and Marcello. Orchestral excerpts welcome but not required.

Euphonium: Two contrasting etudes by Bordogni/Rochut, Arban, or Kopprasch. Solo of choice from the standard repertiore. All major scales.

Tuba: Two contrasting etudes; one taken from Bordogni/Rochut and one from Kopprasch. Solo of choice from the standard repertiore. (suggestions include Hindemith, Vaughn Williams, Gregson, Lebedev, or others of similar level). All major scales.

Percussion: Etudes or pieces comparable in difficulty to those listed below. Performance on mallet percussion and snare drum is required along with the applicant’s choice of timpani or drum set. Applicants should be prepared to play major scales and sight-read on snare drum and marimba.

Snare Drum: Performance in concert and rudimental styles, e.g., one of Cirone’s Portraits in Rhythm and a solo from Wilcoxon’s The All-American Drummer.

Mallets: Performance of a marimba, xylophone or vibraphone solo or etude by Musser, Peters, Smadbeck, Zeltsman, etc. Applicants are invited to perform a 2 and a 4 mallet solo if they wish.

Timpani: An etude from the Goodman, Hinger, Hochrainer, Carroll or Delecluse methods. Interval tuning may be required.

Drum Set: Demonstration of different styles and/or transcriptions. A written solo is not necessary.

Organ: Three contrasting selections from the following categories: Choral preludes, free works (preludes/fantasias and fugues, etc), or other compositions by Bach or other composers of the Baroque era such as Buxtehude, Böhm, or Lübeck; works of the Romantic era by composers such as Mendelssohn, Franck, or Brahms; works of the late Romantic era, 20th or 21st Century by composers such as Langlais, Hindemith, Sowerby, or Albright. Selections should include a balance of lyricism, expression, and virtuosity. Memorization is not required, but is strongly encouraged. Applicants will be asked to sight read a short selection. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Nicole Keller (nkeller@bw.edu) with any questions regarding the above requirements.

All music majors with piano or organ as the primary applied instrument may choose to prepare an audition of one solo piece on an orchestral instrument or voice. This audition will be considered for the student’s secondary instrument and/or large ensemble requirement for the desired degree program.

Piano: Applicants for the Bachelor of Music (all degree programs) and Bachelor of Music Education must prepare a Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach from the Well-Tempered Clavier, a first or last movement of a Sonata by Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven, plus one other work (or movement of larger works) by another composer. All pieces MUST BE MEMORIZED and should demonstrate a range of technical, musical, and expressive styles.

Applicants for the Bachelor of Arts degree must prepare a Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach from the Well- Tempered Clavier plus one other contrasting work; all pieces MUST BE MEMORIZED.

Four octave major and minor scales and arpeggios, sight-reading, and an ear test are also part of all piano primary auditions. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Professor Mary Dobrea-Grindahl (mdobrea@bw.edu) if they have questions.

Three memorized selections chosen from songs and arias of the 17th and 18th centuries and art songs from the 19th century to present. Operatic and oratorio literature may be presented when suitable for the singer.